Background:

Limbic System- structures found in the human brain involved in emotion, motivation, and emotional association with memory

Amygdala

• structure found in the limbic system of the brain, more specifically, in the rostral pole of the temporal lobe of mammals

• Plays a key role in emotions, specifically fear and aggression

Panic Attack

• Period of intense fear or discomfort that lasts no longer than 30 minutes

• Different from other anxiety disorders in that it is sudden, unprovoked, and temporarily debilitating

• Symptoms include dizziness, rapid heartbeat, sweating, and trembling

Depression

• Depressed mood - a state of unhappiness that tends to last for a few hours to a few days

• Major Depressive Disorder - a severely depressed mood that persists for at least 2 weeks and is generally recognized to have a chemical component

Past Studies Have Shown:

• "The amygdala is the only structure in the brain in which glucose metabolism has a positive correlation with the severity of depression" (Drevets, 1998)

• "Patients with panic disorder inherit a sensitive central nervous system fear mechanism whose center is located at the nucleus of the amygdala" (Gorman, Kent, Sullivan, & Coplan, 2000)

• "Hyperactivity within the central nucleus of the amygdala could possibly be correlated with the emotional arousal and physiological hyperactivity that predisposes panic" (Coplan & Lydiard, 1998)

Purpose of Present Study:

• To determine if the changes done to the amygdala during a panic attack will trigger a depressive episode

*This proposal was written in partial fulfillment of requirements for an undergraduate research methods course and is not intended to be carried out.*